First Year at Barnard

Colleges and Universities A-Z Barnard College
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<p>I’ve been reading the exchanges about the horrors and stress of applying to colleges, and can empathize since we went through this nightmare just last year. </p>

<p>Our daughter is a first year at Barnard. She applied to a number of really good schools (both liberal arts and large universities) and was very skeptcial about Barnard because of the “all women” tag. She is very social and has many male friends, and didn’t warm to the idea of going to an all women school. But I think what really changed her thinking was visiting Barnard (and staying in the dorms with someone she knew), plus visiting the other schools she was considering. She has grown up in a large metro area (not NY), so she had concerns about going to some place isolated. Again, her experience at those schools was that the culture, by and large, is very alcohol-driven; not that she doesn’t drink, but the prospect of that being the main social activity turned her off.</p>

<p>She was accepted to several of the schools to which she applied. Our daughter is very intense, but also very non-competitive vis-a-vis other students. </p>

<p>After recently returning to Barnard after visiting a friend at an Ivy League school, she said: “Coming to Barnard is the best decision I have ever made in my life.” </p>

<p>Her experience at Barnard in these past few months has been great for her in several ways: (1) she has great teachers and loves her classes; (2) she has made 4-5 close girl friends, which has really been wonderful; and (3) she loves living in NY. She admits it has been easier to make close women friends living in a single sex dorm.</p>

<p>On the whole Barnard-Columbia schism, she said it is a non-issue, at least for her. She eats at Columbia; she is involved in a couple of Columbia-based activities; and by and large, has met friendly people who attend Columbia. </p>

<p>Her take is that the students at CC envy the Barnard students because of the smaller classes, the better advising system, and the sense of community that exists at Barnard.</p>

<p>I’m sure Barnard isn’t the right place for everyone, which is of course true of all these great schools. Her advice is to visit the schools, stay in a dorm, visit classes and talk to the students . . . and then cross your fingers and hope you made the right choice.</p>

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<p>Thanks for that...it was very helpful!</p>

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<p>There was a really funny comic in the Columbia Fed a few years ago, drawing a parallel between the animal rights abuses some of the labs were charged with and the suffering of Columbia students--I remember one panel said, "I hear Barnard chimps have a better advising system. Also, they aren't given cancer and vivisections" and a CC monkey responded, "HA! I guess some girls need their hands held all the way through college!"</p>

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<p>Marv, if you've been lurking around, you probably know that I am another proud parent of a Barnard first-year student. Like you, I have been pleasantly surprised at just how wonderful Barnard seems to be. I am also amazed at the changes I already see in my daugher intellectually & academically -- it is obvious that we parents are getting our moneys' worth in terms of the academic environment. I have a habit of googling the names of my daughter's profs as well as checking them out on Culpa -- and I certainly am impressed... (and envious). My daughter also is very happy with the size of her dorm room and with the living environment -- while I think in theory she would rather be in a co-ed environment, I think in practice an all-female dorm is just a quieter and cleaner place to be.</p>

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<p>Another mom here, as you probably already know. My d is in her second year and her decision to attend Barnard is confirmed as the right one pretty much daily. The academic environment there has inspired her to extend herself in ways she, and we, never envisioned. She is currently planning to major in behavioral neuroscience and minor in dance. She never ever considered herself to be a "Science-y" person before, but she finds she lovesloves it. </p>

<p>She is entirely comfortable with the Columbia/Barnard relationship and has friends that are enrolled in both. She is VERY happy to be a Barnard student!</p>

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<p>Primefactor, I would LOVE to have a copy of that! Thanks for telling us about it!</p>

<p>I too believe that many CC students are envious of Barnard students. I know that I am!</p>